Curnow fine but Marchbank out for round one

Meanwhile Marchbank is undergoing a block of training the Blues hope will have him ready to return early in the season after a back problem interrupted his pre-season.

He played the final eight games in 2018 and is an important part of the Blues’ backline.

Caleb Marchbank will not play in round one.Credit:AAP

With new head of high performance Andrew Russell joining the Blues from Hawthorn, the 22-year-old is undertaking an eight-to-10-week block of training to ready him for the season ahead. He is running and although he won’t play round one he is on the road to recovery.

The Bombers, who lost to Carlton on Thursday night, also confirmed on Friday that Dylan Shiel had merely suffered a corked thigh and his recovery would be monitored before a decision is made on whether he will play against Geelong on Thursday night.

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Shiel, who joined the Bombers from Greater Western Sydney in the trade period, was in at the club on Friday to get treatment.

Geelong will also monitor veteran defender Harry Taylor who was sidelined due to concussion after West Coast ruckman Nathan Vardy planted his knee in the back of Taylor’s head in a marking contest early in the game on Friday night.